Ontario’s publicly funded healthcare model is built on the idea that everyone has access to primary care without direct charges. But about 12.5% of Ontario residents do not have a family physician. While the shortage is striking, you can still find a doctor in Ontario by one of these pathways, depending on how urgent your needs are, whether you have a valid health card, and where you live in Ontario.
- Register on Health Care Connect
- CPSO’s public registry of licensed Ontario doctors
- Health811 is Ontario’s free health advice
- Ask for referrals
- Call clinics directly
- Use a telehealth service such as Your Doctors Online
Knowing which pathway to use can make it easier to get the appropriate medical care exactly when you need it.
Why does finding a doctor in Ontario feel so hard?
Wait times with doctors in Ontario are on the rise. For many people, seeing a doctor now means waiting for hours in crowded, germ-filled hospital or clinic waiting rooms, a situation that can make symptoms worse instead of better. Even for conditions such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), sore throats, minor skin infections, or medication refill issues that can be treated quickly, patients may still wait hours before being seen.
Population growth outpacing physician supply
Ontario is now home to more than 16 million people, increasing demand for primary care. But the number of family doctors available to provide comprehensive, long-term care has not kept pace with that growth. More people are trying to access the same services, making it a slow process to see a physician for non-urgent concerns.
There aren’t enough family doctors
More than 2.5 million people in Ontario are not attached to a family physician, which is 12.5% of the province’s population. The shortage means many clinics are full and not accepting new patients, so people are left without a regular clinician to call when they’re sick. Additionally, existing family doctors are nearing retirement or considering stepping back in the next few years. Each physician who retires reduces the number of available appointments and increases the pressure on the rest of the system.
Fewer new doctors choose full-scope family medicine
Another reason residents are having difficulty finding a doctor in Ontario is that fewer physicians are entering the primary care stream that most patients need. Many new medical graduates prefer specialties or focused practices outside comprehensive family medicine. As a result:
- New grads sometimes choose specialties with more predictable hours or higher pay.
- Some family medicine residency positions remain unfilled each year, limiting the rate of replacement
Administrative burden and the fee-for-service model
Several family doctors in Ontario practise under a fee-for-service payment model, where they are paid for each patient seen rather than for time spent or complexity of care. This means:
- Complex patients (who take longer) don’t generate proportionally more income.
- Paperwork, referrals, and follow-up tasks are often done outside clinic hours.
This sort of work contributes to burnout and makes long clinic days less sustainable, pushing physicians to reduce hours or adopt different practice styles. While this doesn’t directly affect wait times, it does affect how many patients a doctor can realistically see each day.
What options do patients have right now in Ontario?
When people can’t find a family doctor accepting new patients in Ontario, most don’t stop needing care. Instead, they turn to the few options that are immediately available, i.e., walk-in clinics and emergency departments. While they can provide temporary relief, neither is designed to replace long-term primary care.
Walk-in clinics
A walk-in clinic near you can provide short-term medical care and may be useful when:
- You need to speak to a doctor without booking an appointment
- You have a common, non-urgent issue that can be assessed in a single visit
A walk-in clinic differs from a family doctor in that it does not provide ongoing, comprehensive care. You are seen by whichever physician is available that day, and continuity from visit to visit is limited. It may not be a suitable option for your condition:
- When you need after-hours care, as they operate on limited schedules and close in the early evening or on weekends
- When you need instant treatment, as clinics may stop accepting patients once their daily limit is reached
- When you do not want to travel long distances, as there are fewer clinics in Mallorytown, Stratford, Walkerton other parts of rural and northern Ontario
Emergency departments (ERs)
Emergency departments (ERs) are supposed to cater to life-threatening conditions such as:
- Chest pain, or stroke symptoms
- Major injuries, trauma, or uncontrolled bleeding
- Severe infections or rapidly worsening symptoms
But care in the ER is based on medical urgency, not arrival time. Patients with the most critical conditions are seen first, regardless of when they arrive. People with mild infections, medication questions, and other non-emergency concerns (such as those needing a doctor’s note for work or school) are assigned a lower triage level. This can result in long waits, especially in the evenings, on weekends, or during periods of high hospital demand.
How to find a doctor in Ontario for primary and urgent care?
If your family doctor has retired, you’ve recently moved to Ontario, or you simply can’t find a clinic accepting new patients, here is how you can find a physician:
For people without a primary care provider, Ontario provides official, publicly funded pathways covered under OHIP. They are intended for long-term attachment to a primary care provider. You can either ask the system to search for a doctor on your behalf or contact doctors yourself. Here is an overview of these pathways:
Option 1: Start with Ontario’s official pathways
- Register with Health Care Connect: It is Ontario’s centralized program for people without a provider. Registration can be completed online or by phone, and both methods place you in the same queue.
- Direct outreach to doctors using CPSO’s Find a Doctor tool: CPSO (The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario) maintains a public “Find a Doctor” registry of licensed physicians practising in the province. Using the advanced search, you can filter for family doctors, search by city or postal code, and narrow results by language spoken. After identifying a physician, contact the clinic to ask whether they are accepting new patients.
However, because most clinics are already at capacity, many people are placed on waitlists, especially in areas with limited physician availability
Option 2: Health811
If the official pathways are moving slowly, you can use Health811 to navigate care in the meantime. Health811 is Ontario’s free health advice and navigation service, available 24/7 by phone or online, and staffed by registered nurses. Health811 can help in:
- Assessing your symptoms to understand how urgent your situation is
- Guiding you to appropriate local care options, such as walk-in clinics or urgent care centres near you
- Understanding whether your concern can wait or needs in-person care
But Health811 is not a long-term solution. It won’t attach you to a primary care provider or manage ongoing care. Instead, it offers help while you continue searching for a family doctor near you.
Option 3: Ask your friends, family, or colleagues
If you need to find a doctor rather quickly, you can ask people in your circle for help. A direct introduction or recommendation may also make it easier to get a response when you call. Friends, family members, neighbours, or coworkers may know:
- A clinic that is about to open spots
- A doctor who is accepting new patients by referral only
- A practice that prioritizes the family members of existing patients
This option is a supplement to Ontario’s official pathways, not a replacement. Access still depends on clinic capacity. Even with a referral or recommendation, the doctor may already be full.
Option 4: Call clinics and doctors directly
Another option is to contact clinics directly, even if they are not advertising that they are accepting new patients. Many family practices in Ontario stop updating their availability online once they reach capacity, but openings can still appear due to patient moves, retirements, or changes in clinic staffing. It will involve:
- Calling clinic front desks during business hours
- Asking whether the doctor is accepting new patients or maintains a waitlist
- Following up every few months, as availability can change
This approach can be time-consuming. Many clinics will say they are full, and responses can vary widely between urban and rural areas of the province.
Option 5: Online doctor options in Ontario
While you stay on the official pathway, getting virtual care can help you receive medical services for issues that don’t require a hands-on exam. Over half of ED visits for conditions that could potentially be managed in primary care could be managed virtually. That’s exactly where an Ontario-focused virtual care option can help you:
- Access medical guidance for common non-emergency concerns
- Decide whether you need an in-person evaluation
- Handle some follow-ups and administrative needs.
There are several online doctor options available across Ontario, each with different hours, pricing, and service models. When choosing one, make a decision based on:
- Whether the service is publicly funded or private pay
- Availability (business hours vs 24/7 access)
- Geographic coverage within Ontario
- Types of concerns the service can and cannot address
How to avoid long waits in Ontario?
Avoiding long waits means looking beyond traditional in-person care and using options that offer faster access for non-emergency concerns. One example of a private telehealth in Canada that provides quick access to healthcare services is Your Doctors Online (YDO). We offer 24/7 access to licensed Ontario doctors, allowing you to get care from anywhere in the province without visiting a clinic in person. This can be helpful if you:
- Need care outside regular clinic hours
- Are unable to find a walk-in clinic nearby
- Want faster access while waiting to attach to a family doctor
- Prescription without insurance
YDO allows you to consult a doctor without booking an appointment or waiting in long queues. You will connect to a doctor instantly and get care for non-emergency conditions in less than 5 minutes. However, we operate on a private-pay model, meaning visits are not billed through OHIP.
What online doctors can help with?
An online doctor in Ontario can help you with most non-emergency medical concerns that you would take to a family doctor or walk-in clinic near you. From prescription renewals, doctor’s notes, and treatment for common infections to medical guidance, you can get help without leaving your home or worrying about travel, weather, or long clinic waits. Here are a few examples of healthcare services you can get online:
- Online antibiotics and other medications for everyday health conditions
- Specialist referrals without a family doctor
- Guidance on nutrition and lifestyle concerns
- Mental health counselling
- Lab requisitions and follow-up care
While telehealth isn’t suitable for emergencies, you get virtual primary care and urgent care for conditions that don’t require a physical exam. When an issue requires hands-on assessment, imaging, or urgent treatment, they will direct you to in-person care.
Frequently asked questions
What to do if you can’t find a family doctor in Ontario?
If you can’t find a family doctor in Ontario, focus on short-term care while staying on official waitlists. Use the walk-in clinic or virtual care provider when possible, keep copies of your medical records, and plan follow-ups in advance to avoid gaps in care. For urgent or severe symptoms, visit an emergency department or call 911.
Where can you find a family doctor in Toronto?
You can find a family doctor in Toronto by starting with Ontario’s publicly funded official pathways, such as registering with Health Care Connect or contacting clinics listed in the CPSO Find a Doctor directory. Because these options take time, you can:
- Check with local pharmacies
- Get referrals from friends
- Clinics can directly ask about new patient openings
- See an online doctor in Toronto
Availability varies widely by neighbourhood, and many practices are at capacity, so using more than one approach at the same time can improve your chances.
How long does it take to get a family doctor in Ontario?
The time it takes to get a family doctor in Ontario can vary widely. For some people, it may take several weeks or months, while others may wait much longer, depending on where they live and which pathway they use. In larger cities like Toronto, first appointments with a newly accepted family doctor can take 1 to 8 weeks, depending on clinic capacity. However, there are reports of Ontarians remaining on waitlists for years in areas with limited physician availability. To improve access, Ontario’s Primary Care Action Plan aims to reduce Health Care Connect wait times to under 12 months by Spring 2026.
What issues can a family doctor help with?
A family doctor provides comprehensive, ongoing care for a wide range of health needs, including:
- Diagnosis
- Treatment of common illnesses and injuries
- Chronic disease management
- Preventative care and routine screening tests
- Prescribe medications
- Order and interpret routine tests
- Provide referrals to specialists when needed
Family physicians also help provide treatment for diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and mental health concerns over time.
Why does it take so long to find a family doctor in Ontario?
It takes a long time to find a family doctor in Ontario because there are not enough doctors to meet demand. Ontario’s population continues to grow and age, while many existing family doctors are retiring, reducing hours, or closing their practices. At the same time, fewer new medical graduates are choosing full-scope family medicine due to heavy workloads, administrative burnout, and financial pressures. Together, these factors limit the number of patients doctors can take on, leaving many Ontarians on waitlists for extended periods.
